When was route 66 created

Route 66 was a major path of the migrants who went west, especially during the Dust Bowl of the s, and supported the economies of the communities through which the road passed. People became prosperous due to the growing popularity of the highway, and those same people later fought to keep the highway alive even with the growing threat of the new Interstate Highway System. US 66 was officially decommissioned that is, officially removed from the United States Highway System on June 27, after it was decided the route was no longer relevant and had been replaced by the Interstate Highway System.

It has begun to return to maps in this form. Route 66, was to those escaping famine and unemployment the "Road to Opportunity". A scene from the movie "Grapes of Wrath" shot at Lupton , Arizona.

Click the link to learn more about Lupton and The Grapes of Wrath :. In the highway was extended to Santa Monica and a new endpoint was designated for US Most believe that Route 66 ends at Santa Monica Pier, and that is a very good example of excellent marketing by a Route 66 souvenir shop located on the pier.

The true end point is actually located a few blocks away, at the intersection of Lincoln and Olympic Blvds. Then there is a third endpoint: the bronze marker on Santa Monica and Ocean Ave.

Lincoln Blvd. Map with Directions. When the D. But it did not end on Ocean Ave which in those days was U. Highway Alt , instead it took a left along Lincoln Blvd. It was the end of the road until , when it was decommissioned in California, and moved to the Arizona state line in Topock. Nevertheless the U. Highway 66 Association campaigned from to to have the highway renamed as the Will Rogers Jr.

This is 0. Santa Monica Pier Map showing location of sign. The last marker is 0. This is sign was erected during the Pier's centennial year, on Veterans Day, They formalized the notion held by the general public that Route 66 actually ended on the Pier, and therefore designated Santa Monica Pier as the West Coast's end to Route Since the D.

Marketing and promotion are the prime movers of this new endpoint. For 9 years - U. Read about Route 66's Santa Fe Loop. Governor A. Hannett lost his bid to re-election and was annoyed with the local politicians and business men in the capital city of Santa Fe. Running against the clock before his tenure ended he had a 69 mi. But his "revenge" would have to wait for 10 more years until the Federal roadbuilders decided to straighten the road and shorten it.

When they did so in they used Hannett's alignment. Along U. The Western part of the country was chosen by the War Department for the location of new military training bases; the dry weather was ideal for the purpose and the area was geographically isolated. Larger trucks were built during the war and U. The heavy traffic required a better highway and Route 66 began was upgraded to a four lane divided expressway in many parts, like in Hooker Cut MO, or in Plainfield and Elwood, Illinois.

New industries were developed by the Federal Government in California, and they drew thousands of workers from across the nation; many of them traveled by car along Route 66 to reach their new jobs. The years of rationing ended with the War in August , and America kept on the move. Millions of soldiers, airmen and sailors came back home but remembering their training days in the balmy Southwest, relocated there abandoning the cold winters of the Northeast.

And many drove to their new homes along US This massive shift in demographics was a boon for business along Route Motels, tourist courts, service stations flourished in the post war prosperity. It became an instant hit and has been recorded until this day by many singers, from Aerosmith to the Rolling Stones. Click for More Information on "Get your Kicks" , the song, its lyrics, meaning and more. The years of thrift and suffering were gone, people celebrated life and traveled, they took to the roads in their cars to explore America.

Families drove to see the wild open lands of the "Far West"! Cowboys and real Indians. It was exotic and it was America. The iconic landmarks promoted during the s and 40s along the highway and the mystique of the Native American cultures drew motorists from all over the country.

These were trips of sightseeing and also a journey of adventure and discovery along the Main Street of America, an attraction in itself. The war had exposed the weaknesses of America's highways: heavy loads deteriorated the paving, makeshift repairs during the war did little to help; the roads and bridges were narrow, outdated and unsafe. Something had to be done, and quickly.

Post war years brought increased traffic which reduced the carrying capacity of roads. At the same time the Nation became aware of the importance of a good highway network for national security. President Eisenhower had a very high opinion on the Autobahn's he had seen in Germany during WWII and was convinced that America needed a similar system of divided highways that could offer safety and speed.

His Federal Aid Highway Act of was passed by Congress and the Interstate system was funded and soon began to cover the nation. Interstate highways were multilane divided highways that were built following straight alignments, bypassing small towns. Louis and I from St. Louis to Oklahoma City took care of the remaining segments of U.

This process began in and took almost thirty years to be completed, but it was implacable. Williams , Arizona, was the last town to be bypassed in Many states had already taken down the "obsolete" signs: California did it back in , Illinois in Others placed signs reading "Old U. But in general the decommissioning of the highway led to its gradual deterioration.

Road maintenance decreased, the Mother Road was being forgotten and falling into disrepair. But the public would not let the Mother Road die; private organizations and government offices soon recognized the significance of U. A significance that was not only economic, but also social and historic. Route 66 had to be preserved.

Starting in when The Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona was founded, many groups were formed to preserve, protect and promote the grand old road.

Law enacted by Congress in recognized that U. Within its framework, a study conducted by the National Park Service that evaluated its significance and identified ways to preserve it. Of the men who began the day race, 55 finished it. American actor, pianist and songwriter Bobby Troup. A Pennsylvania native, Troup composed his first hit song while still in college then went on to serve in the Marines during World War II. After the war, he returned to the U. While traveling on Route 66, he was inspired to start penning the lyrics for a tune about the roadway.

Old motel sign along historic route During the segregation era, African Americans were banned from many motels, restaurants and other businesses along Route In , Victor H.

The Green Book series continued to be published until During their travels, the two drifters, originally played by Martin Milner and George Maharis, encounter a broad variety of characters, and the show featured guest stars ranging from Joan Crawford to a young Robert Redford. Eisenhower during World War II. Credit: Imperial War Museum.